On the appreciation of English punny jokes by Arabic-speaking EFL learners

Authors

  • Abdul Salam Mohamad Alnamer Al Ain University of Science and Technology
  • Abdel Rahman Mitib Altakhaineh Al Ain University of Science and Technology
  • Sulafah Abdul Salam Alnamer Emirates Falcon International School

Keywords:

punny jokes, second language acquisition, humour, Arabic-speaking EFL learners

Abstract

This study measures the extent Arabic-speaking EFL learners appreciate English punny jokes. It also aims at identifying the challenges they face with certain types of these jokes and providing explanations for these challanges. For the purpose of the study, a test of 16 punny jokes on four types of punny jokes, namely, look-alike, sound-alike, close-sounding, and texting was developed and distributed to 60 Arabic-speaking EFL learners. Generally, the results show that Arabic-speaking EFL learners have little appreciation of English punny jokes. The study discusses the challenges that Arabic-speaking EFL learners face when they encounter any of the four types of punny jokes. Finally, the study concludes with pedagogical implications and with some suggestions for further studies.

Author Biographies

  • Abdul Salam Mohamad Alnamer, Al Ain University of Science and Technology
    Abdul Salam Mohamad Alnamer is as assistant professor of American literature at Al Ain University of Science and Technology, UAE. His research interests are in the fields of American literature and translation.
  • Abdel Rahman Mitib Altakhaineh, Al Ain University of Science and Technology
    Abdel Rahman Mitib Altakhaineh is an assistant professor of English language and linguistics at Al Ain University of Science and Technology, UAE. His research interests lie in the areas of morphology, lexical semantics, morphosyntax, applied linguistics, and psycholinguistics. He has published research papers in several journals, including: Studia Linguistica, Lingua, Acta Linguistica Hungarica, Metaphor and the Social World, Research in Language and Sage Open.
  • Sulafah Abdul Salam Alnamer, Emirates Falcon International School
    Sulafah Abdul Salam Alnamer is an English language teacher at Emirates Falcon International School, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Her main research interests lie in the areas of applied linguistics and second language acquisition.
The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, Volume 6, Issue 1. March 2019

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Published

2019-03-31

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2019)

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

On the appreciation of English punny jokes by Arabic-speaking EFL learners. (2019). The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 6(1), 54-67. https://caes.hku.hk/ajal/index.php/ajal/article/view/619